CHICKEN FILO TART

Filo pastry is relatively easy to work with as long as you remember to cover it completely to keep it from drying out and to brush it with melted butter. The most important part of the filo tart is the crispiness and that is guaranteed if you remember to defrost it properly. Filo dough is delicate, and you need to do it right to keep it from going soggy. If you have frozen filo then start the defrosting process the day before making the tart and defrost it in the original packaging in the refrigerator – it will get soggy if you defrost it at room temperature. It is also important not to make the filling too wet as this will also make the filo dough soggy.

We eat with our eyes first, so naturally, this chicken filo pie recipe will not only taste delicious but also be a feast for your eyes. You fold the pastry to a pentagonal star and then fold the corners towards the middle once you have added the filling. When the pastry gets crispy in the oven, it will create a beautiful effect on top. This is also why the melted butter being brushed on top is very important – it will make the top look golden and irresistible.

This filo pastry chicken pie has both leeks and spinach to make it fresher and greener. The leeks add some delicate and sweet oniony taste that pairs well with the chicken. Spinach is always a good choice when you make filling for pies. It adds flavour and consistency – and it pairs very well with both leek and chicken. Our chicken filo pie has a delicious filling with cheddar cheese and full-fat crème fraiche that makes the pie creamy and savoury on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Even though chicken filo pie is a classic, you can easily make the recipe your own. You can use spring onions instead of leeks and spice it up with fresh herbs like parsley and tarragon, and even add some green peas if you want a bit more green in it. You can also add an exotic twist to it by making it Greek with oregano, mint, cinnamon, Greek yoghurt, and minced chicken. Or make it Moroccan with warm spices such as ginger, chilli, cinnamon, coriander, and saffron.

Chicken filo pie is an easy and quick pie. Start by preparing the filling by frying your favourite vegetables and greens in butter with onion, garlic, etc. and add the precooked chicken stripes. Remove it from the heat and mix the rest of the filling consisting of cheese, crème fraiche or Greek yoghurt, and eggs, and season with salt and pepper. Next, you need to prepare the filo pastry. In our filo tart recipe, we place each sheet of filo dough on top of another in a slight angle until it forms a pentagon. Move to a tin, add in the fillings, and carefully fold the sides of the pastry on top of the filling. Brush with butter and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 180C. You can see more details about how to make a chicken filo pie in our recipe.

Chicken filo tart recipes have one thing is common: they are perfectly suited for adapting to your likings. You can use almost everything with chicken in your filo tart. It is the perfect "empty the fridge" dish – you can use carrots, spring onions, shallots, warm oriental spices, Italian spices, fresh herbs, peas, green beans, and much more. You can also experiment with the cheese filling using feta cheese, fresh mozzarella, or even blue cheese to give a more bold and tangy flavour.

We believe fresh is always best but if you have filo tart leftovers, you can freeze it for up to three months. Let it cool down slowly without covering it – if you cover it, the filo pastry will go soggy. Once it has cooled down, store it in the freezer in an airtight container until you are ready to use it. Defrost it slowly in the refrigerator overnight.

We always recommend enjoying it on the day you cook. With that said, you can reheat your filo tart leftovers the next day or even after freezing it. If you reheat it after freezing it, let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight. In both cases, place the filo tart in a preheated oven at 180C for about 20 minutes. Cover with foil if it takes too much colour before it is warm.